Various kinds of instruments are commonly employed in surveying, construction, and other applications to measure angles, distances, and elevations. For example, an optical total station is commonly used to measure angles and distances of objects or points of interest. Using the angles and distances, elevations of the objects or points can be computed using known techniques. As another example, a digital level is commonly used to measure elevations of objects or points of interest. Digital levels also commonly use imaging techniques to compute distances. The information from these instruments can be used to determine positions of the objects or points in a local or real world coordinate system.
While optical total stations and digital levels are commonly used to measure angles, distances, and elevations, improved instruments and methods are desired to increase measurement accuracy, reduce measurement time, and lower measurement costs.